hi I've been asked to call at a regular dance club. Its the usual mix of those who are there for fitness, an afternoon out and some more serious dancers. ( My background is calling for my own band at barn dance nights - easy dances for all). Are there dances that you consider all dancers should know? I thought I would do some of the dances with local connections this week, We are alright at Canterbury, Rakes of Rochester and the Edenbridge. I expect to have to walk these through and take some time over them. I'm looking for a small number of dances that after a few weeks I should be able to say ' lets do -------' and everybody who is not new should be able to get up and do them. What would you put on this list? FloraG

Pete, who does the counting? I'm not sure I even know how many bookings the band had last year ( but then I was the person who started my advent callender by mistake on the 30 November and had no chocolate on 24th). Thanks for your list of dances. I don't know Clopton Bridge - will try to find it. FloraG

I always make a note of dances/ tunes for each gig (our next one is gig 226!). Then if we get a repeat booking we know what we did so can avoid or repeat as required. Also as we work with three different callers we can 'guess' what they are likely to call, and have some tunes ready

Back in the late 70's/early80's, I worked with legendary caller(now storyteller) Taffy Thomas, and we worked on a series of barn dance tours with the theatre company Welfare State International. These were absolutely for the general public, and were not remotely aimed at country dancers.They were theatre shows, but they involved the audience dancing. We refined a series of dances which went well consistently, and these were(not in any order,and from memory which may be faulty):

I should add we were working mainly in Cumbria and north Lancashire. They might not be equally succesful elsewhere. Incidentally, the habit has grown in recent years for callers(or those connected with some kind of country-dancing "scene" as opposed to the real world) to sneer at the Cumberland Square Eight as being old fashioned. Let them sneer by all means, but please don't come and call with the Boat Band.

After nearly 50 years involvement in folk dance as a team dancer, musician, social dancer and then caller, Cumberland Square Eight has always been my favourite to dance. I love a thrashing Drops of Brandy and I also like Willow Tree a lot but Cumberland is still my favourite. Ninepins and Silly Threesome are good fun as grab a new partner dances. I have always avoided 'dancers' dances' like the plague!

You might have bother finding 'Whitby Seaweed' as I made it up about 40 years ago and I only know one other caller who regularly uses it.

made up dances When I started calling I made up all my own dances as I couldn't understand the notation. Double duple longways improper - still not sure what that is. Left and right hand star - try putting both hands in as that implies. Our first do was a charity event that I had originally been reluctant to do, but we knew 10 morris tunes so I wrote 10 dances - mostly cobbled together bits of other dances. We were booked again for the following year - so I think it must have been OK. It was quite a surprise when we found people were willing to pay us. I have the advantage of a good band. My favourite way of learning a dance is to see it danced, then I write it down in my own notation to remember it. Both the tune and the dance need to be in my head before I call it, as I like to keep an eye on what the dancers are doing, not concentrating on chords or calling cards. Becky - sory about being anglocentric. I like the Canadian way of singing the squares - but haven't got into that yet. Wisiwig - I do try to warn people about the level of energy needed. I know some people just come to listen to the band - but I do try to do a few slow and easy. ( St bernards waltz etc) so everybody can do at least one. Bert - thanks to you and others for the list. If I can find them on you tube I'll give them a go with the dance club. I plan to print out all the suggestions. I've been asked to do several of these dance club events, - about once every 8 weeks, so I have time inbetween to get a tune sorted and the dance in my head. Tomorrow will be the second one - so Im still finding my way. I've sorted out 4 challenging dances - which I think is enough in 2 hours. The core dances will be the more fun relaxing ones inbetween. Thanks all FloraG

Congratulations, you must be doing something right if they've asked you. Is this a dance club with existing regular members? If so ask them what dances they already know or have danced. What age are they? Do they use recorded music?

The first club we went to danced mostly the 'traditional' dances,an evening had a 'core' of dances, and if we go there now 25 years on, we'll dance the same type of dances, often the same dances Bridge of Athlone Waves of Tory Dorset 4 Hand Reel Redwing (and other simple squares) and others suitable for a one-off ceilidh Some a little trickier till you knew them Nottingham Swing (which is a longways 'duple minor' dance and can go wrong at the ends with beginners) Chinese Breakdown (a square with a fast chorus which they love but newcomers find confusing)

Other clubs have a completely different type of programme. SteveG may avoid 'dancers dances' like the plague, but many of us enjoy them. We may not have the energy to dance an evening of Ceilidh dances as they should be done, but we still can dance (our club has had members over 90 dancing every dance). The music for some of them are spine-tingling. And it is a great feeling when your set fits the moves to the music. Whether it is Playford, or American squares or Contra. The little bit more complexity keeps us coming back every week, some dances are fun occassionally but get boring.

I think you are right to look for a core, there seems to be less standardisation at Country Dance Clubs now than when I started calling, since many callers are writting dances, and people who've met them at festivals want to try them at their club. Now clubs dance the callers favourites as a core and the new ones that they are trying out.

If you ask everyone in the club to name their favourite dance you will have a bit of a core, and if you tell us what they say we'll know what kind of club you've found.

All the dances in it are dances that regular 'club' dancers will meet if they go to dances and festivals. Hugh tells you if they are Contra, Ceilidh or Playford types. And how hard they are. I found all the Playford and most of the Ceilidh dances familiar, and I recognised the names of a lot of the Contras too (though I don't do as much of that).

These are not dances published just because someone's written them, they are tried and tested 'Standards' click for list Maybe you could use them to build your core.

And he has useful chapters on calling at different kind of events, and a glossary explaining the terms.

Greg. I don't sneer at Cumberland square, but I'm very careful who a dance it with, and quite wary about calling it. Any basket dance can be dangerous if danced with brute force to lift the ladies and an insecure grip.

The people who are most likely to be dangerous won't be told how to do it safely. They "KNOW" that the right way to do it is for the men to hoist the women off their feet and fling them around, and never mind if you let go.

Another safe basket hold is the Irish "Little Christmas". Everyone put R hand flat on neighbours waist. With L hand grasp the wrist of your opposite. Right foot into the middle and go as fast as you like. All safely interlocked.

The dance club has a regular attendance of 20.They are mostly 55+ in age. From what I've seen they are there more for the social than the dancing- but they obviously enjoy it. They have facilities for Karioke dance but I always play live music. It took me a while to learn to talk and play at the same time. Thanks for the list and the kind words Mo. I too share a dread of baskets. FloraG.

With that age range they may enjoy some of the Playford dances., or gentle barn dance rather than ceilidh. I would avoid too many hornpipes, the ankles, hips and lungs can't take it (though they can be danced with a gentle 1,2,3, lift). Worth getting Hugh's book if you haven't got other information.

I appreciate there are elements of danger in the Cumberland Square Eight, though not on a par with the dangers inherent in driving to the gig; or indeed with climbiong up Cumberland hills. However, I have to say the only death I have ever seen at a barn dance was someone keeling over while playing the spoons, in Liverpool. I can't remember which dance was being played for.

Gerry Whitby Seaweed Dance was made up many years ago at one of the early Whitby festivals as a spoof ritual dance in 6-man morris formation in the Fringe Events. The 6 male dancers wore swimming trunks, were draped in seaweed and old nets and instead of sticks or swords carried large kelp stems from the beach still with the wet wavy bits attached.

The tunes used are The Oyster Girl and New-rigged Ship, but any steady jigs will do.

All the figures have something to do with fishing.

3 couple longways. A1: The Crab. All six take both hands across to partner and scuttle(steady gallop) down the set and back. A2: Starfish. Six-hand star left and right (waving loose arm at everybody else.) B1: Lobster Pot. (like an upside down six person basket), arms round each other's shoulders, lean in and slip round the left, all one way. this is probably the hardest bit. You need to emphasise to the dancers that they need to end up in their starting places back in their longways six. B2: Weaving the nets: Dip and dive but starting with number 1 couple at the top facing down, other 2 couples facing up. Whoever is in the middle always makes the arch. C1: Repeat B2 C2: Top couple swing down (Usual progression)

As we use this for social dances rather than dancers' dances B2 and C1 invariably run into C2 so the swing down often has to be quick and there is some fun in being alert and not being knocked over by the swinging top couple, but you get this in other dances like Oxo Reel.

As you can see 48 jigs would be better for the 6 part dance but we used to play 2 As 1 B repeated.

I'd just like to second Mo's recommendation of Hugh Stewart's Country Dance Club Book - it contains clear instructions for 100 dances covering a wide range of styles, energy levels and abilities, and it's a mine of other information which no up-and-coming caller should be without.

From an American perspective, that's a really interesting collection of dances. I recognize the names of quite a few American contra dances, in addition to what I'd label as English ceilidh and Playford style (traditional and newly composed) dances. The squares -- Cumberland and Pioneer Polka -- are both English in style. Eclectic, we'd call it.

If they already have cds and tapes as well as the player it may be worth looking through the tracks and using them for some dances (their favourites). Some of the Playford dances may not work on a melodeon, and anyway if you are calling an unfamiliar dance it may be worth learning one thing at a time, then if they like the dance the tune will be in your head ( I find it easier to learn tunes if I can sing them rather than sight read the dots). I'll pm you the Tom Cook version of the Playford dance Jamaica. It's a simple 4 couple dance, nice pattern and not too energetic.

The other thing some of the women in that clip are doing is throttling the men. If you MUST put your hands on the men's shoulder it should be the nearer shoulder, not round the neck.This hold is safer.

Greg Thanks for the You Tube clip. I looked at some of the others and what is displayed here is quite different to what we did. In several of the clips, before they even start to rotate, the men are lifting up the lasses and the hold is far closer. We did it as we were shown by Kathy Mitchell in the 60s. One man grips the other's wrists, ladies' hands on nearest shoulders (as Mo rightly says) and then give weight, i.e. lean outwards. Any lift should come from the natural momentum of the swing. Personally I think this is much more exciting/exhilerating than the tight bunching shown on the videos but I can see advantages in this.

Thanks for all the help and advice. I did the 2 hours yesterday afternoon, and they were all kind enough to say how much they enjoyed it, pay me expenses, and invite me back. Up till now I've only called for novices/ mixed groups where you have to explain do si do, so I'm having to expand my dances.

I did Rakes of Rochester, Were alright at Canterbury, The Edenbridge and the Hadron Collider as the hard dances and bridge of Athlone, St Bernards waltz, Snowball, Dorset 4 hand reel, Circasian circle and a simple dance to Lambeth walk that looked a lot like 'The barn dance', but fitted the tune, and a bit of rapper dancing.

Mo - I did ask them about favourites - i thought this was a good idea - but they told me they could not remember the names. I had written out a list of possible dances so Peter, Im learning from you. ( In the past I've picked the dances on the night after I've seen the ability level, dance area, no of children etc.).

Its a really good sized hall just outside Sittingbourne in kent, so I now have 8 weeks to sort out the next programme. I'd like to learn a sung square - which is the esiest to do? Do you pick a tune and sing to that or do you have a set tune to each dance? Do you walk through the dance first or just sing it and expect them to listen?

Can anyone suggest a good long set progressive dance of medium dificulty? We did rakes of rochester OK and I did not need to call by the third time through. FloraG.

If you log in you'll find a pm with instructions for Jamaica. A nice not-too-hard Playford dance (modern interpretation of).

The easiest singing squares are I Want to be Near You, Buffalo Girls and Coming Round the Mountain - I'd sing something like this:

"First Couple promenade the ring All the way till you get back home again then star across the mountain*, back around the mountain Everybody home and face your own

You do-si-do your partner one and all Swing that girl around don't let her fall Promenade the mountain,Coming round the mountain Coming round the mountain when she comes"

You'd need a quick walk through the first time you taught it.Singing calls don't always phrase exactly as you dance it, and the calls can be cryptic. Line 1,2 1s promenade round the outside *Line 3 1s &3s right hand star Line 4 they left hand star

Line 5 all do-si-do Line 6 all swing Line 7,8 all promenade and sing.

Next time 2s carry on promenading, then star with 4s. You may or may not need a second walk through, an explanation might do. Tell them that after each couple has had a turn they need to keep listening, then surprise them with.... 5th time head couples promenade the ring (or you could sing One and threes promenade ...) 6th side couples... 7th everybody.... ALL star round the mountain...(i.e. make 8 hand stars)

I sent the pm to FloraG not to FloraG. (not the one with a .) Did you join twice?

People write singing calls to any tune they fancy, other callers find another tune that fits and the dance changes it's name. I have an old recording of an American caller Jonesy singing Solomon Levi. Any time that dance is called in England nowadays it's to the tune I want to be Near You.

And the real standard singing call is Redwing. Various versions of the introduction on records, same basic figure. No-one now would call it to any other tune. But an old book calls it Dip and Dive and suggests a different tune. You'd need to listen to that one, maybe your club has a record.

Then different callers write dances to the tunes they like to sing, so 1 tune may have more than one dance. John Meachan wrote one to "Does your Chewing Gum Lose its Flavour?" which appeals to us oldies. Also a hard one to "Lady Madonna"

Mo's recommednation is not ladies' hands on near shoulders,sge just says that is safere than far shoulders(which it undoubtedly is). She is going ffor all hands round waists, as shown in the clip. Which is a fine clean demonstration of the dance, though the walking around at the end is rather dull. It's meant to be a dance, not a stroll along Ullswater lookibng at the pretty daffodils.

Here's a Cumberland Square Eight variation that's worth trying. South of the Tyne they call it the "Durham Square Eight" – on our side of the river, it's often called the Northumberland Square Eight.

When calling it for reasonably experienced dancers, I usually start with the traditional CSq8, and introduce this as a variant when they've hit their stride after 2-3 times through. So far, it's always worked well.

A1 & 2: all four couples gallop simultaneously – you have twice as much music, so go as far away as you can (or dare!), but get back to place in time

B1 & 2: Right & left hand stars in eights (again, twice as much music to use here)

A1 &2: Basket of eight (again, make it last twice as long)

B1: everybody circle left

B2: promenade home (except last time through, when you just swing your partner)

Hi Gerry Sounds very likely. I've known Sam since he was a baby. He was born in Hull. Grand lad and a bloody good box player. A couple of years ago YG organised a seminar on folk in education at York. Sam gave one of the presentations and was stunning.

Hi Me again. I did Duke of kents waltz and a square this week as the 2 difficult dances. It took me a while to learn the tune to the Dof K waltz as it starts with quavers and I'm used to playing them quickly, but the dance looked good. I played it on my 8 string fiddle to give a medieval feel to it. Thanks for the suggestions. The ladies seem to like an easy but silly dance now and again and I'm running out of these. I've done a square strip the willow, ring out the teacloth and the teapot dance. Any other suggestions please?